SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOVAL OF PARTICULATE MATTER FROM A FILTER MEDIA
A particulate filtration reverse pulse cleaning system is disclosed. The system comprising a housing, a tubesheet disposed within the housing, a filter for fluid communication with a tubesheet aperture, a support frame connectable with the tubesheet, and a cleaning system associated with the support frame. A filter cleaning system is also disclosed, the support frame comprising a plurality of hollow support legs comprising at least one cleaning aperture and a cleaning system associated with the plurality of hollow support legs. A method for cleaning a filter is also disclosed.
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The present invention generally relates to the removal of particulate matter from a filter media. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a reverse pulse integrated cleaning system for removing particulate matter from a fabric filter media.
Industrial gas turbine applications utilize intake air during normal operation for combustion purposes. The intake air is drawn through the compressor where it is subsequently mixed with fuel and ignited in a combustor, providing the driving force for a turbine. Because gas turbines are essentially air breathing engines, many factors and characteristics of intake air can affect performance and overall efficiency of a gas turbine system.
Factors that may affect the performance and efficiency of a gas turbine include the temperature of the intake air, site elevation, humidity, and the presence of contaminants in the intake air flow. The presence of contaminants in particular, has a significant detrimental impact on turbine efficiency. Contaminants such as dirt, dust, and salt can cause compressor blade corrosion, erosion, and fouling where the resulting surface roughness decreases compressor air flow and efficiency. This in turn, reduces the gas turbine output and overall thermal efficiency of the system.
In order to combat the effect of contaminants on gas turbine efficiency, filtration systems are typically used to remove particulate matter from an intake air stream. These systems may feature a filter media on the upstream side of a compressor in order to capture particulate matter before it reaches the combustor. Although effective, during long periods of operation, the filter media may become saturated with particulate matter, which subsequently impedes the flow of air and creates a significant pressure drop between the upstream and downstream side of the filter media. Therefore, periodic cleaning of the filter may be necessary.
Reverse pulse cleaning systems are known in the art for removing particulate matter from saturated filter media. These systems typically have a nozzle downstream of the filter connected to an air supply, where cleaning air is provided by the air supply and directed into the filter via the nozzle in a direction opposite of intake air flow. Because obtaining uniform cleaning down the length of the filter media provides enhanced gas turbine efficiency, an apparatus that accomplishes that goal may be desirable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONOne embodiment of the present invention is a particulate filtration reverse pulse cleaning system comprising a housing through which air flows in a first direction towards a housing outlet. A tubesheet is disposed within the housing, the tubesheet comprising a tubesheet aperture. There is also a filter for fluid communication with the tubesheet aperture, the filter comprising an open end adapted to be located adjacent to and surrounding the tubesheet aperture. There is a support frame connectable with the tubesheet, the support frame for supporting the filter, the filter through which air flows in the first direction, and the support frame comprising a plurality of support legs. Finally, there is a cleaning system associated with the support frame, the cleaning system comprising a cleaning jet source associated with the plurality of support legs for directing cleaning fluid in a second direction opposite the first direction.
In another embodiment of the present invention, there is a filter cleaning system comprising a support frame comprising a plurality of hollow support legs comprising at least one cleaning aperture. There is also a cleaning system associated with the plurality of hollow support legs, the cleaning system for directing cleaning fluid in a second direction through the at least one cleaning aperture.
A method for cleaning a filter is disclosed, the method comprising providing a support frame comprising a plurality of support legs, a filter, and a cleaning system associated with the support frame. The cleaning system also comprising a cleaning jet source for directing cleaning fluid in a second direction. The method also further comprising positioning the filter around the support frame and providing cleaning fluid to the cleaning system at a supply pressure sufficient to dislodge particulate matter from the filter.
Further features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates from reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to the use of an integrated reverse pulse cleaning system for gas turbine inlet filters, featuring a support frame for facilitating improved cleaning efficiency, elongated filter life span, and prevention of filter oscillations and air bypass.
For the entirety of this document, “fluid” shall include, but is not limited to, air or any other suitable medium for facilitating cleaning of a filter media. “Substantially unimpeded flow” shall mean the ability of fluid to flow between destinations without experiencing a pressure drop.
Horizontally or vertically arranged filter cartridges that collect and prevent particulate matter from entering a gas turbine system are typically held in place by a multi-legged support frame. In these systems, the support frame is coupled to a tubesheet and a filter cartridge and arranged such that an open end of the filter is secured to the tubesheet. In these arrangements, particulate matter is removed from the filter media via an air pulse nozzle located downstream of a filter cartridge. However, as the distance between the air pulse nozzle and areas of the filter increase, cleaning efficiency may suffer. Therefore, one aspect of the invention provides a support frame including an integrated cleaning system to overcome the consequences of previously known downstream reverse pulse cleaning systems.
As shown in
The air filter unit 1 may include a housing 7 which may be of any suitable configuration to allow the encapsulation of a tubesheet 11 and any desired amount of filters 9 for effective filtration and sufficient air flow to the gas turbine unit 3. The housing 7 may be several stories high and contain up to several hundred filters 9. As shown in
The tubesheet 11 may be constructed and arranged to separate the housing 7 into a first plenum side of the housing which is located upstream of the filter 9 and a second plenum side which is located downstream of the filter 9. Tubesheet 11 may be a vertical sheet constructed of any material suitable for preventing the passage of air therethrough.
The filter 9 may be any suitable configuration and material to allow the collection of particulate matter on its surface. Filter 9 may be secured to the tubesheet through any suitable means, where in exemplary embodiments, a support frame (not shown) may be connectable with the tubesheet 11 for supporting the filter 9. Filter 9 may be a fabric filter media, specifically constructed and configured for facilitating the collection of particulate matter.
Referring now to
As mentioned above, the support frame 25 may include any desired number of support legs. The support legs may facilitate substantially uniform cleaning of the filter 9. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the support legs may be approximately equally radially spaced from each other about a circumference of the tubesheet aperture 41. For example, if the support frame 25 includes three support legs in a tripod configuration, each leg may be spaced at approximately 120° from each other.
Furthermore, in reference to
Also as shown in
As mentioned above,
In order to facilitate fluid communication, such as, but not limited to, substantially unimpeded flow, between the cleaning aperture, support legs that may be hollow, and the pulse tube, many configurations may be utilized. One possible configuration, as shown in
Another configuration for facilitating fluid communication, such as, but not limited to, substantially unimpeded flow, is shown in
Cleaning fluid may be supplied to the support frame 25 for any suitable duration and at any pressure necessary for cleaning the filter 9. However, it may be desirable for cleaning fluid to not be supplied in such a way that cleaning fluid flowing in a second direction F2 is not greater than the flow of intake air in a first direction. It is desirable to perform reverse pulse cleaning without impeding the flow of intake air and operation of the power generation unit. Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment, cleaning fluid may be supplied to the cleaning system at a pressure in the range of about 5 bar to about 8 bar and for a duration in the range of about 0.05 seconds to about 0.5 seconds.
As shown in
A method for cleaning a filter is illustrated in
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any, and all, combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
The terminology used herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
From the above description of at least one aspect of the invention, those skilled in the art will perceive improvements, changes and modifications. Such improvements, changes and modifications within the skill of the art are intended to be covered by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A particulate filtration reverse pulse cleaning system comprising:
- a housing through which air flows in a first direction towards a housing outlet;
- a tubesheet disposed within the housing, the tubesheet comprising a tubesheet aperture;
- a filter for fluid communication with the tubesheet aperture, the filter comprising an open end adapted to be located adjacent to and surrounding the tubesheet aperture;
- a support frame connectable with the tubesheet, the support frame supporting the filter, the filter through which air flows in the first direction, the support frame including a plurality of support legs; and
- a cleaning system associated with the support frame, the cleaning system comprising a cleaning jet source associated with the plurality of support legs for directing cleaning fluid in a second direction opposite the first direction.
2. The system of claim 1, the cleaning jet source comprising a plurality of cleaning jet sources located along the length of the plurality of support legs.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of support legs are hollow for facilitating the flow of cleaning fluid therethrough, the cleaning jet source being a cleaning aperture for directing cleaning fluid in the second direction.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of cleaning jet sources vary in size as the distance between a fluid supply and the plurality of cleaning jet sources increases.
5. The system of claim 2 wherein the cleaning fluid is pressurized air.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the support frame further comprising:
- an end plate disposed upon a first closed end of the filter on a first plenum side of the housing, the end plate coupled to the plurality of support legs via a carriage bolt.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of support legs and the cleaning jet source facilitate substantially uniform cleaning of the filter.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of support legs extend from the tubesheet, substantially along the length of the filter.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein the distance between each of the plurality of support legs and a corresponding nearest interior surface of the filter is no less than approximately 1 inch.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of the support legs are approximately equally radially spaced from each other about a circumference of the tubesheet aperture.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of support legs comprise three support legs in a tripod configuration.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein cleaning fluid is supplied to the cleaning system at a pressure in the range of about 5 bar to about 8 bar.
13. The system of claim 1 wherein cleaning fluid is supplied to the cleaning system for a duration in the range of about 0.05 seconds to about 0.5 seconds.
14. A filter cleaning system comprising:
- a support frame having a plurality of hollow support legs comprising at least one cleaning aperture; and
- a cleaning system associated with the plurality of hollow support legs, the cleaning system for directing cleaning fluid in a second direction through the at least one cleaning aperture.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein the plurality of hollow support legs are approximately equally radially spaced from each other.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the plurality of hollow support legs comprise three support legs in a tripod configuration.
17. A method for cleaning a filter, the method comprising:
- providing a support frame comprising a plurality of support legs;
- providing a filter;
- providing a cleaning system associated with the support frame, the cleaning system including a cleaning jet source for directing cleaning fluid in a second direction;
- positioning the filter around the support frame;
- providing cleaning fluid to the cleaning system at a supply pressure sufficient to dislodge particulate matter from the filter.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the supply pressure sufficient to dislodge particulate matter is between about 5 bar and about 8 bar.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the positioning further includes orienting a cleaning jet source to direct a cleaning jet in a normal direction to a nearest interior surface of the filter.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein there are a plurality of cleaning jet sources substantially evenly distributed along the length of the support frame.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 23, 2010
Publication Date: Dec 29, 2011
Patent Grant number: 8382869
Applicant:
Inventors: Etienne René Jarrier (Reading), Simon Charles Larcombe (Southampton)
Application Number: 12/821,352
International Classification: B01D 46/04 (20060101); B01D 46/00 (20060101); B01D 46/24 (20060101);